Another Which Bike Question

[bestinshow]

Hi

I'm looking to purchase a Road Bike, probably secondhand, and I think I've narrowed it down to these 3 :

Specialized Allez
Giant Defy
Trek 1.1 / 1.5

Looking to spend £400 ish, a few on Ebay I'm looking at, anybody with any advce on which one would be appreciated.

Thanks
AC

[Rob_T]

i have a giant defy advanced 3 which is slightly different from the defy, but i can certinaly vouch for the quality of giant bikes, overrall 'comfort' and rideability. in fact i have just bought a second giant bike (a mtb anthemx4). giant make something like 80% of all bikes sold so you can in general expect good quality and durability from them. having said that, trek and specialized are top notch companies too, so i doubt you will be disappointed with any. but go for the giant!!!

[itsnotarace]

They are all much of a muchness. Ride all 3, choose which one fits you best. If they all fit the same, buy the one in the colour you like.

[anonymous-user]

they are the same bike painted a different colour. probably.

in all seriousness, at that price they are so similar in terms of spec and buld quality that it doesnt matter what it says on the frame. some advice though, dont limit yourself to a particular brand/model. keep an eye out for other things like merida, lapierre, raleigh airlite, if you do have to search on ebay because everyone else is looking for the trek, specialised and giants....you may even pick up an 08/09 Boardman for that money? they were very well specced.

personally i think there are plenty of local secondhand sources to not have to worry about the potential issues of ebay. just find a bike locally thats a nice size and condition and an honest seller. ebay is full of stolen bikes, snipers and scam artists...

[TonyHetherington]

For that price, have a look at the Boardmans too (second hand)

[bestinshow]

Thanks for the info chaps.

I've also seen a Raleigh airlite 200 2011, brand new for £450, I'll look at that too.

[yellowjack]

pablo said:

they are the same bike painted a different colour. probably.

dont limit yourself to a particular brand/model. keep an eye out for other things like merida, lapierre, raleigh airlite, if you do have to search on ebay because everyone else is looking for the trek, specialised and giants....you may even pick up an 08/09 Boardman for that money? they were very well specced.

ebay is full of stolen bikes, snipers and scam artists...

+1 on the Merida/Lapierre suggestion. Great bikes, and like pablo says, they can be a bit 'under the radar' if you are not aware of the brands. Some of the bigger brand names are made in the same factories as the Meridas, etc, but are more expensive because they trade off the image they forged for themselves in the depths of time, before manufacture switched to the factories in the far east.

-1 on the 'sniper' comment. I'm an ebay sniper and proud of it, you need eyes like a sthouse rat, quick wits and nerves of steel. Remember that it's the HIGHEST bid that wins an auction, not the FIRST. If you don't like being simply outbid at the end of an auction, try BUY IT NOW! If so-called sniping was wrong, ebay would ban it.

[bestinshow]

Bought the Allez 24, thanks again for the info.

AC